Research shows that bilingual learners move naturally between their languages to learn; however, this practice is not welcomed in many second/foreign language classrooms given the belief that first language (L1) use negatively affects second language (L2) development, despite much empirical evidence to the contrary. Moreover, translanguaging…

As part of a larger project investigating language awareness in plurilingual settings across educational levels through a multiple case study, this article zooms in on students' language awareness as it unfolds in a classroom in a Danish upper secondary school, in the context of a compulsory, plurilingual general language awareness course.…

This mixed-methods case study investigates learner engagement during pair work, focusing on four key aspects--behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement--and how these relate to task performance. The study included 60 university students (34 females, 26 males) learning English as a second language, who collaborated in pairs on a…

Online learning programs provide real time feedback and offer some degree of access to "real" oral communication, yet these platforms, for the most part, involve using the software in isolation. Though Rosetta Stone is designed for independent learning, the present study experiments with a model for implementing it as a collaborative…

Multimedia is vastly used as authentic and available input in second and foreign-language contexts. To deal with the difficulties and complexities of comprehending these authentic materials, collaborative learning through metacognitive instruction helps develop learners' listening comprehension. The present study has mainly explored the role of…

Background: In linguistically diverse contexts, language learning and the building of quality relationships are key -- and intertwined -- educational goals. These aspects are particularly important in learning communities where the language of instruction may represent an additional language for most students. It is, therefore, essential to…

This study explored the impact of feedback-supported tasks and peer-work activities on language learners' engagement, self-esteem, and language growth in a university setting in Saudi Arabia. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, 45 participants in the experimental group and 43 in the control group underwent 15 sessions of…

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore how The Sims could be used to assist L1 English speakers in learning L2 Russian verbs of motion through completing in-game tasks in pairs while speaking Russian. English and Russian verbs of motion encode manner and path differently, and L2 Russian motion verbs use a variety of…

Despite the proliferation of research about pair/group interaction during second language collaborative writing, little is known about how psychological factors, in particular learner attitude affect participation and learning in collaborative writing. This study primarily attempted to investigate whether EFL learners' attitudes toward…

Instruction for students classified as English Learners (EL-classified) in the US has been dominated by formalist orientations to language that focus instruction on acquiring decontextualized linguistic forms often as a prerequisite to mainstream classroom learning (Valdes et al., 2014). Many language scholars argue that these formalist…

This brief is part of a series that highlights key features of high-quality instruction for English learners and the role formative assessment plays in their success. Formative assessment supports teachers to enact these features by providing them with tools to gauge and react to student learning in real-time. These practices also support students…

An increasing body of research has explored patterns of interaction and peer support among young learners. Although some studies suggest that young learners can engage in collaboration when interacting on tasks, other studies indicate the opposite. Moreover, despite the claims that peer collaboration is conducive to learning, studies have not paid…

This paper investigated the effect of a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' self-perceived communication competence (SPCC), communication anxiety (CA), and soft skills. The participants were 157 university students from Japan, Türkiye, and Spain who completed various tasks and…

Background/purpose: This study examines how well EFL students perform in English language learning using Kagan's Cooperative Learning Approach (KCLA). Conventional teaching approaches frequently fail to actively involve students, which lowers achievement. With an emphasis on teamwork and active engagement, this study seeks to ascertain whether…

Language learners are often required to negotiate classroom participation in pair and group work; therefore, willingness to communicate (WTC) could be a key determiner of second language (L2) success. Classroom WTC is volatile and influenced by interlocutor-related variables, such as reciprocal identities, group membership and atmosphere, and peer…